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Japanese team takes top prize at World Solar Challenge

by Laura June posted Nov 2nd 2009 at 10:51AM

A Japanese team from Tokai University has taken the top spot at the World Solar Challenge, which was held at the end of last week in Australia. The team beat out the Delft University team which won four consecutive previous Challenges, and this year took second place, with the third seat going to the University of Michigan. The race course travels from southern to northern Australia over 3,000 km (about 1864 miles), and the winning team's car, Tokai Challenger, completed the race in just under 30 hours, averaging 62 miles per hour. Other notable participants included the MIT-built Eleanor.

[Via Wired]

i.Tech's SolarVoice Bluetooth headset could save the environment, not your look

by Tim Stevens posted Oct 28th 2009 at 8:41AM

Those looking for another excuse to wear a Bluetooth headset all the time just got it: iTech's $75 Dynamic SolarVoice 908. That awfully long title is applied to a conceptually simple device, a headset with a tiny solar panel on the side rated at five hours of talk time when fully charged. Sadly, though, there's no mention of how long you'll need to bask in the sun to get it there. (AC and USB charging are also naturally on offer.) Unlike earlier examples it's A2DP compliant, so it'll stream your tunes, and boasts integrated noise cancellation, so it's perfect for making your drunken barroom conversations a little more garbled.

Dell and Envision Solar refashion parking lot into clean energy farm, EV recharge station (video)

by Vladislav Savov posted Oct 26th 2009 at 6:06AM

Dell has added a shiny new feather to its cap today with the announcement of a freshly completed Solar Grove renewable energy installation. The system is composed of 512 solar panels, which provide shelter for 56 cars, and are capable of harvesting 131,000 kWh of energy per year. This power will be primarily used in the adjacent Round Rock HQ, but CleanCharge stations will also be available should you wish to juice up your electric vehicle on Mother Nature's finest. No matter how much Dell might have splashed out to bring this integration together, we can't help but suspect that the smug satisfaction of getting free energy -- both in pecuniary and ecological terms -- must be priceless. Video awaits after the break.

Continue reading Dell and Envision Solar refashion parking lot into clean energy farm, EV recharge station (video)

America's (newest) largest solar plant set to go live in Florida

by Darren Murph posted Oct 25th 2009 at 8:33AM

If all goes well, this 25-megawatt solar plant in Florida won't be America's largest for long, but it's not like we'd pass up the opportunity to let this $150 million facility bask in its own glory (and the sun, if we're being thorough) while it can. The Desoto facility is just one of three solar projects that Florida Power & Light is spearheading, and judging by the proximity of this one (in Arcadia) to the 75-megawatt facility planned for nearby Charlotte County, we'd surmise that the two are linked in some form or fashion. President Obama is expected to show up rocking a set of Kanye glasses underneath a welder's mask when the plant is fired up this Tuesday, and while it'll only provide power to "a fraction" of FP&L's customer base, it'll still generate around twice as much energy as the second-largest photovoltaic facility in the US of A.

[Thanks, Yossi]

Sharp solar cell sets Conversion Efficiency record

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Oct 23rd 2009 at 12:22PM

The kids at Sharp have a long history of solar power development and research -- something which is evident in the solar cells they've attached to everything from televisions to cellphones. Always moving onward and upwards, the company is now announcing that it's achieved a title-holding 35.8 percent cell conversion efficiency through the use of a triple-junction compound cell. Mainly used on satellites, the triple-junction cell uses three photo-absorption layers and materials (such as indium gallium arsenide) to boost efficiency. This is all good news indeed for both people anticipating better solar devices and fans of solar research in general -- and great news for the people that make those 18 foot tall "solar flowers." PR after the break.

[Via Akihabara]

Continue reading Sharp solar cell sets Conversion Efficiency record

TDK unveils fashionable, colorful solar chargers (video)

by Ross Miller posted Oct 7th 2009 at 9:51AM

Solar power is something we've seen touted in every big tech trade show for as long as we can remember, but it's taken until recently to make it a bit easier on the eyes. Enter TDK's design-, color-, and sun-enhanced chargers, found hanging out under a hard light in the back of the company's CEATEC booth casually powering a fan. It's definitely a step up from dark paneling, so how long until we see this applied to some stylish mobile phones, eh world? Video after the break.

Gallery: TDK's designer solar chargers

Continue reading TDK unveils fashionable, colorful solar chargers (video)

Colored solar panels work without direct sunlight, double as PAR Can filters

by Darren Murph posted Sep 21st 2009 at 3:36AM

With eco-friendliness on everyone's mind, it's no shock to see more and more progress being made in the realm of solar. Shortly after hearing that boffins across the way were swapping carbon nanotubes for silicon, a Tel Aviv-based startup is now hoping to push its colored panels into the mainstream thanks to their ability to work sans direct sunlight. Granted, the tinted cells have only shown a 12 percent efficiency rate in testing, but they can reportedly be produced for around half of what a conventional panel costs. In essence, the cost savings comes from the dearth of silicon within, as GreenSun Energy has discovered that power can be generated by simply diffusing available sunlight over the whole panel and allowing nanoparticles to handle the rest. We'll invite you to visit the links below for the science behind it, but we're just interested in helping Ma Earth while replacing every windows in our apartment with a stained glass alternative.

[Via Inhabitat]

JA Solar and Innovalight team up to commercialize 'silicon ink' solar cells

by Donald Melanson posted Sep 18th 2009 at 8:11PM

We've seen a few different approaches to printable, and occasionally paintable solar cells over the years, but it looks like JA Solar was particularly taken with Innovalight's so-called silicon ink-based solar cells, and it's now announced that its teaming up with the company to commercialize the technology. In addition to being "printable" and cheaper to manufacture than traditional solar cells, the company also claims that the silicon ink solar cells also boast an impressive 18 percent conversion efficiency, which has apparently just been backed up by both the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory and The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems. Details on the deal are otherwise a bit light, but JA Solar says that it'll manufacture the new cells using its existing solar cell manufacturing lines, which should lower the cost even further and, if all goes as planned, allow for "initial commercialization" sometime in 2010.

[Via CNET News Green Tech]

Cornell gurus look to carbon nanotubes for efficient solar cells

by Darren Murph posted Sep 17th 2009 at 10:21PM

You know what we love? Solar-powered gadgets, and carbon nanotubes. Oh, and Ivy League schools. Boffins from Cornell University are now looking to use the multifaceted carbon nanotube instead of silicon to develop efficient solar cells, and judging by the glacial pace at which solar cell efficiency is improving, we'd say the sector could use the boost. The researchers have already fabricated, tested and measured a simple solar cell (called a photodiode, just so you know) that was formed from an individual carbon nanotube. The tube was essentially a rolled-up sheet of graphene, and while the inner workings would take days to explain, the gist of it is this:

"The nanotube may be a nearly ideal photovoltaic cell because it allowed electrons to create more electrons by utilizing the spare energy from the light."

So, solar-powered F-350 trucks are now a possibility for next year, right?

[Via Graphene-Info]

Solar Roads get small DoE contract, confidence to change the world

by Darren Murph posted Sep 6th 2009 at 6:06PM

Solar roadways? Yeah, we've seen 'em before, but we've yet to see America's own Department of Energy give any one development company such a notable vouch of confidence. Just recently, the DoE handed over a $100,000 contract to Solar Roadways, which is just enough to build a prototype of the "first ever Solar Road panel." The 12- x 12-foot panels could theoretically be embedded into roads, and when shined upon, could pipe good, clean electricity straight into the grid. Heck, they could even boast LEDs in order to alert drivers to upcoming accidents or changes in road conditions. Reportedly, each panel would cost around $7,000 (at least initially), and if these were used on the entire US Interstate system, we could pretty much forget about using non-renewable energy sources to power our homes and businesses. Of course, our government is simultaneously wasting money on repaving perfectly good roadways with antiquated asphalt, so there's a tremendously great chance that this won't amount to anything.

[Via Inhabitat, thanks Miko]

Devotec Solar Sound Bluetooth speaker hands-on and nano-review

by Nilay Patel posted Jul 23rd 2009 at 11:27AM

So we've been playing with the Devotec Industries Solar Sound Bluetooth speaker system for a couple days now, and we've got to say we're pretty impressed -- we just wish it could run directly (and indefinitely) off the solar panel, instead of requiring an internal battery that takes 12-24 hours to charge from the sun or four hours to charge off USB. That said, you will get eight hours of decent audio when the battery is full, and it's actually relatively loud -- you'll be more than fine indoors and in quieter spots, although cranking things up all the way results in some audible distortion. Of course, it's A2DP, so setup is a breeze with most Bluetooth devices, including 3.0 iPhones, and you can hook most everything else up with the included 3.5mm headphone cable. (Just keep in mind that Apple doesn't properly support AVRCP, so the forward and back control buttons don't work correctly over Bluetooth.) Not bad for $79 -- and you won't have to burn through endless AAs to take your tunes on those summer picnics and beach trips.

Gallery: Devotec Solar Sound unboxing and hands-on

Devotec debuts Solar Sound Bluetooth speaker system

by Donald Melanson posted Jul 22nd 2009 at 1:41PM

Devotec Industries has mostly kept itself occupied with solar chargers and the like to date, but it looks to be branching out somewhat with its latest product, which appears to be one of the first solar-powered Bluetooth speakers to hit the market. Obviously designed primarily with portability in mind, the Solar Sound packs a pair of 2W speakers, along with a retractable 3.5mm cable to accommodate your non-Bluetooth devices, a built-in mic for some hands-free calling when paired with a phone, a nifty touch panel display, and a promised 8 hours of use from the internal battery (which recharges in 12 to 24 hours from the solar panel, or four hours via AC or USB). Sold? Then you can pick one up right now for $79.

[Via TestFreaks, thanks Vincent D]

Toyota's giant solar flowers popping up across US to bring good will, free WiFi, and charging stations

by Ross Miller posted Jul 21st 2009 at 1:47AM

Now here's a smart marketing campaign. In an effort to raise awareness / interest in its 2010 Prius, Toyota planted five 18-foot tall "solar flowers" in Boston's Prudential Plaza and provided free Wi-Fi and electricity that was "partially powered" by the solar panels attached to the petals and stem. The so-called "Harmony Between Man, Nature and Machine" just disappeared from Boston but will next germinate in New York, followed by Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. We're not exactly in the market for a car right now, but we promise to think about it while we lovingly enjoy the free laptop charge and internet access.

[Via PhysOrg]

Read - Flickr set from Boston
Read - Schedule

GE's Smart Grid aims to cut home energy consumption to zero, promote world peace

by Darren Murph posted Jul 15th 2009 at 9:46AM

Judging by the company's recent infatuation with energy-efficient LED lighting solutions, we're not at all surprised to see General Electric launching a daunting initiative that aims to cut homeowner energy consumption to zero by 2015. The so-called 'Smart Grid' is part of the Net Zero Home Project, which combines solar and wind energy (for on-site power generation) along with specialized appliances that can "communicate with utilities to participate in utility-run demand-response programs." In other words, these intelligent devices can turn themselves down or off when no one's around in order to shave peak-time consumption, and the in-your-face nature of always knowing exactly how much juice you're wasting should also encourage conservation. Of course, we have all ideas that a Smart Grid-certified home will run you quite a bit more than you're willing to pay, but hey, Ma Earth deserves it -- doesn't she?

[Via CNET]

Video: Solar-powered night garden fills Jerusalem with tranquility, world peace soon to follow

by Vladislav Savov posted Jul 13th 2009 at 6:19AM

Juxtaposing the manmade and the natural in artistic expression oftentimes leads to creepy results. It is no mean feat, then, that the Jerusalem night garden -- built out of steel wires, laser-cut panels and 1W to 3W Power LEDs -- feels like a warm and welcoming place to visit. Whether it is the clean energy source, producing 720W of electricity per hour, or the ethereal light and movement of the flowers, something about the exhibition awakens the wistful child we've got locked away in the Engadget dungeons. He cries out for more of this aesthetically pleasing eco-friendly design, which in this case even comes with a specially composed soundtrack. To see if you agree with such juvenile enthusiasm, check out the video after the break.

[Via inhabitat]

Continue reading Video: Solar-powered night garden fills Jerusalem with tranquility, world peace soon to follow